Dubai: Victory Team driver Ahmad Al Hameli has promised an all-out attack in the final two rounds of the 2017 UIM F1 H2O World Championships, to be held in the UAE next month.
The penultimate round of the championship will be held in Abu Dhabi from December 6-8, while Sharjah will host the traditional season finale on the picturesque Khalid Lagoon from December 13-15.
Team Abu Dhabi is currently in the lead in the teams championships with 83 points with their lead driver Alex Carella coming up with an exciting finish in the fourth round at the Liuzhou Grand Prix on October 1. Team Sweden is in second with 54 points, while Victory Team is in third with 49, followed by defending champions CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team (42) and Sami Selio’s Mad-Croc Baba Racing Team (35).
With a maximum of 40 points on offer in the last two races, Italian Carella heads the list of drivers with 58 points followed by Team Sweden’s Erik Stark (42), three-time defending champion Philippe Chiappe of the CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team (39), Mad-Croc Baba Racing’s Sami Selio (30) and UAE drivers Al Hameli (30), Thani Al Qamzi (25) and Victory Team’s Shaun Torrente (19).
“At Victory we believe that nothing is over till it is actually done. There are two more races and both are on familiar waters. Hence we have an advantage. Perhaps, I am in a better position that Shaun [Torrente], and both of us have nothing to lose here on,” Al Hameli told Gulf News as the team planned preparations for the final two rounds at the team’s headquarters in Jebel Ali.
“One race can change everything. This season has been such. There were just six rounds and very little place for mistakes. I met with an accident in the opening round and that set me back a bit in the chase for the top position. But, the final two rounds are too familiar for me and an all-out attack is the only way out for Victory Team to get something by the end of the season,” the driver added.
Al Hameli was one of ten drivers who didn’t finish the opening round of the season at the Grand Prix of Portugal in Algarve in the second half of April. However, he made amends with a fourth place in Evian at the Grand Prix of France followed by third and fourth in Harbin and Liuzhou in China.
“That first race set us back, but we believe we can do it in the last two rounds. I am within striking distance of the leading drivers, and with the points on offer I am sure that Shaun and I can continue to work together as a team and ensure the blue colour of the Victory Team dominates once again,” Al Hameli said.
“I am confident we can do it. We only need a little bit of luck. Hopefully we will have it here on our home waters,” he added.
